Supporting The Federal Food Donation Act

SUPPORTING THE FEDERAL FOOD DONATION ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - December 19, 2007)

SPEECH OF
HON. AL GREEN
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2007

* Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support the Federal Food Donation Act, an important piece of legislation that will help address the scourge of hunger in America.

* Each year, 35 million Americans, including 12 million children, go hungry, even though we live in the richest nation in the world. In many ways, the situation is getting worse, as increasing costs for food, energy and housing mean that increasing numbers of working families have difficulty affording sufficient food. According to a report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 80 percent of cities studied reported increases in requests for emergency food assistance during the last year. Despite this increase in need for food assistance, too little has been done to ensure that food banks, pantries and other charitable organizations have sufficient resources to address the needs of their hungry clients.

* The Federal Food Donation Act will help alleviate the shortage of food among organizations that work to serve the hungry. This important bill will amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to provide that contracts will contain provisions encouraging the donation of excess, apparently wholesome food to non-profit organizations working to combat hunger. The bill will ensure that excess food acquired for the use of the federal government does not go to waste and instead goes to help feed the hungry.

* The Federal Food Donation Act represents an important step forward in the effort to combat poverty. I am hopeful that the bill will also spur more organizations in the private sector to follow suit and to ensure that they make good use of excess food. Additionally, I am hopeful that Congress will soon pass legislation strengthening the Food Stamp program by substantially increasing benefits and easing access to the program for eligible beneficiaries, to help ensure that the 25 million Americans who receive Food Stamp benefits each year receive sufficient assistance to prevent them from becoming hungry.

* Madam Speaker, I am proud to express my support for the Federal Food Donation Act. Our country must no longer tolerate the presence of widespread hunger and I believe that this legislation will play a critical role in combating hunger. I am proud to express my full support for this legislation and I thank my friend and colleague, Mrs. EMERSON, for her sponsorship of the bill and for her leadership in fighting hunger.

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